Yasheng Huang was born in Beijing and writes for Project Syndicate. Throughout many of his articles and books, I find an apologist for China’s rise and its hegemony. It is not unexpected. One of the themes harped on by Project Syndicate is that the “detente” between the US and China regarding Taiwan has been a successful dance avoiding “conflict”.
“Success” is a relative term of course, and a Chinese writer naturally would think that “success” means Taiwan is not an independent country (which it already is). But the ridiculous “One-China Policy”, which basically turns the truth on its head out of the expediency and political correctness of yielding to China’s hegemonic designs while making it clear simply taking Taiwan is unacceptable, is not “success” for the 23 million people of Taiwan, who only yearn to have their de facto independent and free nation recognized. In fact, the entire world, in order to appease China in exchange for Kommunist Kash and opportunities in China, have basically decided Taiwan is a part of China (which it is not), is not a country (which it is), and has no standing in the world, despite the fact that its economy is among the most successful in the world, it has a democratically elected government, offers all of the freedoms (and is officially a “free country” according to Freedom House) China does not offer to its own oppressed billions, has its own currency, military, borders, post office, government, judiciary, law, Constitution, elected President, and flag.
“Success” for Taiwanese would be when the world in one voice tells China to get over it already after almost 70 years. All that Trump did in a visceral moment before he was corrupted by the status quo hawkers was basically tell the Emperor his new clothes are not clothes and he is a naked weakling, and he called Taiwan’s leader a President, which is precisely what she is. Imagine that, the temerity to tell the truth to China’s face.
A new paradigm would involve the truth, and begin a transition in which China no longer can blackmail the world to uphold its utter fraud concerning so many things and its plans to by the slowest degrees change the world into a world order with Chinese characteristics, Xi’s personal dream. No one knows what havoc Trump may cause, but it can’t be worse than the decades of numbing political correctness ignoring the truth so Beijing’s “feelings” aren’t hurt (and that political correctness is something promoted by Project Syndicate, which I find quite odd indeed).
Taiwan is not a sacrificial lamb, it is a wonderful, amazing, free, democratic, vibrant nation of 23 million people, who have no intention of ever being part of the world’s worst tyranny. It is difficult to understand why Mr. Huang, having spent so many years benefiting from the freedoms offered where he hangs his hat, does not see this, or perhaps it is an accommodation, like so many nations are forced to adhere to, in order to continue, another of China’s requirements. Project Syndicate’s pandering to China is appalling, but, sadly, not unexpected.
Strait Talk by Lee Longhwa 